The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-01-19
MANUFACTURE OF BOGUS WINES.
Imported" Brands Made In New York
Observation-Disclosures OF Raisins.


Observation-Disclosures of Raissns.
There arc several old Frenchmen in New
York who hive made almost national repu-
tations as vine dealers and experts They
have about retired from business but, with
the proyerb.al thrift of their nation, they
still find time TO tend to their shops few
hours dull Some Of them have large
restaurants il connection with their whole
sale and retail wine trade, and favored Gus
toners arc often given an opportunity to
smack their lips over some rare Old ne,
whose label il too dust begrimed to be legi-
biz, and AZ they hold the wine TO the light
they become enthusiastic over its color,
favor, and bouquet, and probably order
several dozen bottles OF il sent TO their
homes.
Now this wine may be old and it may be
new II may have been imported from
France, or perchance it was pressed out on
the sunny Italian hills; but it is more than
probable that the old Frenchman, unless he
knows that bis customer has trained and
delicate palate, has given him some wine
that is but the partial product of the vine,
and was concOcted under the skilled eye Of
monsieur in the sub-basement Of the very
establishment where it is drunk. Why
should one find fault? II is surely more COM
plimentary in host to give one the result
oT his own labor than to furnish one with
that Of another. If it is a real wine there is
exactly one chance in 10, 900 that il is what
the label represents it to be. IL may be the
outcome of judicious mixture of several
indifferent varieties blended into harmo-
NOUS whole, or it may be an American
wine sailing under false colors.
Human ingenuity has never yet been able
TO make wine without some small percentage
Of alcohol, so this element remains as a
base for the worst Of productions. As
rule the manufactured wines are offered
either as California wines or as vim ordinaire,
or sour claret. They are the disti.lation Of
raisins colorcd with logwood. The raisins
are placed in "a vat filed with water at a
temperature Of 60 degrees, there being fifty
five gallons of water TO every hundredweight
OF raisns Some sugar is often thrown in
tc hasten fermentation, which usually lasts
eight or ten days, at the end OF which time
the liquid is drSwnf oil and wine is made
1t is, Of course pale, and it is dcctored with
some high cOlorei Spanish wine, which is
cheap, and then a solution of lOgwOod is
added These wines DO not, at the most,
contain more than 10 per cont. Of alcohol,
and having bat little tannin they VIII not
keep long. When wine is thus produced it
will not cost much Raisins are not cypcn-
sive, and a modv article answers as well
as one that is fresh. 4 noted French chem
ist has declared that the rasin wile if
not drugged is vastly more beautiful than
many of the mixtures, most of thcm dele
FERROUS, sold for genuine vino. This may
give wine drinkers n spark of encourage
ment, for there is no way Of accounting for
the consumption Of the enormous raisin pro-
ducts Of Italy, Turkey, Spain and Greece,
unless one admits that they are used to take
the place Of grapes.-New York CONNER
cial Advertiser.